Michael Beasley

From Hoopedia

Michael "Beastly" Beasley (born January 9, 1989, in Washington, D.C.) is an American basketball player. He was considered among the elite high school basketball players of the 2007 class. Beasley stands 6' 9", plays both forward positions, and is left-handed. He plays basketball for Kansas State University.

Beasley's parents are Fatima Smith and Michael Beasley. He has two brothers, Leroy and Malik, and two younger sisters, Mychaela and Tiffany.

1 High School
- 1.1 High Schools
2 K-State
3 High School Honors
4 External Links

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High School

Beasley was the top-ranked (Class of 2007) high school basketball player in the country according to Rivals.com.

Beasley spent his earliest years in St. Louis, Missouri, before moving to Prince George's County, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC. While growing up in Maryland, Beasley played for one the country's most successful AAU youth teams at the time, the PG Jaguars. Beasley won multiple national championships with this team alongside future fellow blue-chip recruits Kevin Durant (Texas Longhorns) and Chris Braswell (Georgetown Hoyas). Beasley later moved on to play AAU ball for DC Assault's 17 & Under team, playing alongside such players as best friend Nolan Smith (Duke University), Chris Wright (Georgetown University), Austin Freeman (Georgetown University), and Julian Vaughn (Florida State University). During this time Beasley also attended a number of high schools including [Bowie High School] (Bowie, Maryland), National Christian Academy (Fort Washington, Marylnd), The Pendleton School (a section of the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida), Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, Maryland), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia), and Notre Dame Preparatory School (Fitchburg, Massachusetts).

He was named to the 2006 USA Men's U18 National Team on June 26, 2006. Beasley averaged team highs of 13.8 ppg. and 8.3 rpg at the 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men in San Antonio, Texas. He ranked fifth in rebounds per game (8.3 rpg) among all 2006 tournament leaders, and he ranks third all-time in the USA Men's U18 record book.

He is close friends with fellow college basketball stars Nolan Smith, O.J. Mayo, and fellow Kansas State player Bill Walker.

With the departure of Kansas State University head coach Bob Huggins to West Virginia University, it was rumored that Beasley would follow. But with KSU's retention of Beasley's former AAU coach, Dalonte Hill, Beasley remained a Wildcat.

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High Schools

Possibly the biggest concern about Beasley is the number of schools he attended. Beasley attended Bowie High School, National Christian Academy, and the Pendleton School (IMG Academy) for his freshman year. At the Pendleton School (IMG Academy) he was reclassified into the Class of 2008 and was an 8th grader at the school while still playing for the school's varsity team. Beasley transferred back home to Prince George's County the next year and was again reclassified, but this time back into his original grade, being home schooled, and playing for Riverdale Baptist as a sophomore. Beasley left the DC area the following year to attend Oak Hill Academy and starred for a 40-1 team that lost only to Montrose Christian (Rockville, Maryland), led by Beasley's former PG Jaguars teammate Kevin Durant. Beasley left Oak Hill after his junior season and transferred to Notre Dame Prep, where he has played as a senior. In total, he attended six different high schools before his college career began.

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K-State

Beasley began his freshman year at Kansas State in the fall of 2007. Through 24 games, Beasley has been one of the most dominating players in the country, averaging 25.7 points (fourth in the country) and 12.6 rebounds per game (first in the country). He has guided the Wildcats to a 18-6 record, including a win at Oklahoma a victory against Texas A&M, and a victory against Kansas University, marking the first time in over four years that Kansas State has defeated a Top 10 team at home (Kansas State beat #10 Texas on March 6, 2004). Beasley also led the Wildcats to a victory over #2 Kansas in Manhattan, Kansas for the first time in 24 years.

Most college basketball insiders believe that he will declare for the 2008 NBA Draft after his freshman season. Several experts, including ESPN's Andy Katz and Chad Ford have said that Beasley could be one of the top picks in the upcoming draft, although he has stated numerous times that he does not believe he is ready for the NBA and says there is a possibility of him staying at least one more year. He was nicknamed Michael "Beastly" by Michael Wilbon on ESPN's Pardon the Interruption.

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High School Honors

• Attended Oak Hill Academy in 2005-2006 and helped lead team to a 40-1 overall record and a final USA Today No. 2 national ranking.

• As a junior in 2005-06 averaged 20.1 ppg., 10.4 rpg., and 4.5 bpg.

• Recorded 21 double-doubles in 2005-06.

• Attended Riverdale Baptist in 2004-05, averaged 28 ppg., 13 rpg., and 4.0 bpg. Helped lead team to a 33-1 overall record.

• Plays for the AAU PG Jaguars (Through 15U), DC Assault (15U-Present).

• His DC Assault won the Las Vegas 16U championship.

• Has participated in the ABCD Camp.

• As a junior, was named to the EA Sports All-America first team (one of just four juniors on the 20-man first team) Parade Magazine All-America second team, USA Today All-America third team and one of just three non seniors named to one of the first three Slam Magazine All-America teams.

• Named Co-MVP along with Eric Gordon at the Adidas rising superstar camp in summer of 2006